It's draft season (almost), and Miami Dolphins fans are clamoring to find out who Jon-Eric Sullivan will select with his first pick as the new general manager. The organization has been the Miami Mediocres for the better part of the 21st century, but there will still be a plethora of solid players Sullivan will have to choose from when the Dolphins are on the clock at No. 11.
Miami has several needs going in, and with salary cap issues, it's unlikely many will be filled through free agency. Nevertheless, the Dolphins should focus on the best player available at one of those needs when it becomes their turn.
The 2026 class overall is not the deepest, but with five picks in the top 100, the Dolphins should be able to get a jumpstart on their rebuild. Most Dolphins fans will understand that patience is necessary when it comes to the 2026 season, but you can expect to hear a sea of groans if they select the player they've been mocked to in the latest mock draft from The Athletic.
Miami Dolphins draft Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy in The Athletic's latest mock draft
In his latest mock draft for The Athletic, Dane Brugler has Miami taking cornerback Jermod McCoy from Tennessee. McCoy is the first cornerback off the board in Brugler's mock, which makes sense as he is considered CB1 by many analysts. In addition, a cornerback is desperately needed for Miami going into next season.
Based on that, it sounds like a great pairing. However, it's important to note that McCoy tore his ACL in January 2025 and missed the entirety of last season. Had he been active and played a full season, McCoy, in all likelihood, would be a top-10, potentially top-five pick, and off the board before the Dolphins' selection.
Drafting a player coming off an injury would be a painful reminder to Dolphins fans of something that Chris Grier would do. By the time the season rolls around, McCoy will be more than a year and a half removed from his injury, and he could be fine. He could even be an impactful player right from the start. But drafting McCoy may set a bad image for Sullivan as his first selection.
Brugler notes that "cornerback has been a problem spot on this team for some time," and he's not wrong. The Dolphins went into training camp last year already weak at the position, and saw several players go down even before Week 1. But as mentioned, Miami has several needs, and Sullivan's first pick needs to be a player the fan base can feel confident about, as well as someone who won't sit out of OTAs and training camp due to injury.
In just the five picks following McCoy's selection in Brugler's mock, there are at least three players I like better for Miami: LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane (13), Auburn edge rusher Keldric Faulk (15), and USC wide receiver Makai Lemon (16).
Lemon, specifically, goes to the Jets in this mock with the pick they received from the Indianapolis Colts. I think he has the opportunity to be one of, if not the best, receivers from this class, and the Dolphins could regret letting him fall to New York if they pass on him.
McCoy had a breakout year at Tennessee in 2024 after transferring from Oregon State. He had 13 starts with the Volunteers, totaling 44 tackles and four interceptions. His four picks were the second most in the SEC and helped him to earn second-team All-American. McCoy was also a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist for the top defensive back in college football that year.
As mentioned, McCoy may turn out to be a fantastic athlete and one of the best cornerbacks to come from this class. I'll eat crow if that turns out to be the case, but the Dolphins are in rebuilding mode and need players who can make an impact right away.
There's no such thing as a sure thing, but Miami needs to come as close as possible. Taking a chance on McCoy is something that Grier would do, as he frequently took a chance on low-risk, high-reward-type players via the draft and free agency. Yet, they rarely panned out, and that's why he's no longer here. Sullivan doesn't want to give the Dolphins fan base that impression so early on in his tenure. Thankfully, given his résumé, that's unlikely to happen.